Distributing terminal



Jan. 6, 1948. J. w. CHANNELL DISTRIBUTING TERMINAL Filed Feb. 12, 1944 2Sheets-Sheet l W W n W w m J Attorney.

J. W. CHANNELL DI STRIBUTING TERMINAL Filed Feb. 12, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet2 56 I DEAQQEP-JEQELLLEBLQ J72 06721'07. James 74 C/zaarzeZZ,

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Patented Jan. 6, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISTRIBUTING TERMINALJames W. Channell, San Marino, Calif.

Application February 12, 1944, Serial No. 522,167

1 Claim. 1

The herein disclosed invention relates to distributing terminals forsmoothly sheathed electric cables, and it is particularly adapted foruse with lead-covered telephone cables. It involves substantialimprovements upon the terminal construction illustrated and described inUnited States Patent No. 2,318,755, issued to me on May 11, 1943; andits objects, generally stated, are to secure additional utilities oversaid construction, without sacrificing any of the advantages inherenttherein.

More specifically, the objects of the present invention include; first,to provide improved means for supporting terminals of the class setforth in said patent; second, to furnish better facilities for packingjoints between cable sheaths and such terminals; third, to devise apacked joint for cable terminals, wherein use may be made of imperviousadhesive tape as the packing medium; fourth, to make it feasible tobuild up packings of impervious adhesive tape on cable sheaths in theopen, and then to install such terminals thereover; and, fifth, toaccomplish all of the stated objects, and such others as are incidentalthereto, by means of simple and relatively inexpensive construction.

My objects are attained in the manner illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a distributingterminal embodying the present invention, .together with portions of itsco-operative environ-- ment; the terminal cover having been removed, andthe underlying connection plate having been partially broken away, toshow parts therebeneath;

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of said construction and environment;

Figure 3 is an elevation of the left-hand end of the terminal, on asomewhat enlarged scale;

Figure 4 is a cross-section of the terminal, taken on the plane 4-4 ofFigs. 1 and 2, and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, theview being drawn on the same scale as that of Fig. 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal axial section of the right-handend of said construction, taken on the plane 55 of Figs. 3 and 4, and onthe same enlarged scale;

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic elevation of the shell of such a terminal,shown supported by a cable strand and with a lead-covered telephonecable pulled therethrough. It illustrates the first series of steps tobe taken in making installations of the kind herein described;

Figure '7 is a similar illustration of the second group of acts requiredin the installation procedure;

Figure 8 illustrates the third set of installation jobs to be performed;

Figure 9 indicates the fourth lot of necessary procedural actions;

Figure 10 shows the fifth grouping of things to be done in making suchinstallations; and

Figure 11 represents the sixth and last succession of performancesrequired to complete the installation process.

The several views are not strictly pictorial, and they are to beconsidered as more or less diagrammatic. Similar reference numeralsrefer to similar things throughout the several views.

For such installations as I have selected for the purposes of thisdisclosure, I contemplate locating a terminal shell, such as the bodypart of my improved terminal, at each point where a branch connection isto be made; and pulling the transmission cable through all of suchshells at the time of it original installation. Distributing connectionsmay then be made at each of the terminal locations, at any subsequenttime. It is entirely feasible, of course, to install my terminals afterthe cable has been put in place; but such installations require cuttingthe entire cable, and then splicing every cable conductor, whether abranch is to be connected thereto or not.

In the drawings, I have indicated a lead-covered aerial telephone cableat l5, and a strand for supporting the same at IS. The shell or body ofmy terminal is an open sided, integral, and box-like structure ll. It isprovided with spaced and rearwardly extending horizontal arms [8 and i9,at the top and the respective ends; whereby it may be hung upon, and besupported by, stand IS, A rearwardly extending intermediate ridge 2 I,at the top of the shell, serves to deflect strand l6 slightly, betweenarms l8 and I9 and, in that way, the shell is securely positioned on thestrand against accidental displacement. Additional security is obtainedby means of circular crossnotches 22, for engaging the strand, at thebottoms of arms l8 and I9,

lflipples 23 and 24 are screwed co-axially into and through therespective ends of shell l1, and gland nuts 25 and 26 are adapted forscrewing upon the outer ends of those nipples respectively. Within eachof the nipples, is a shorter and slidable sleeve, as at 21. Normallythese sleeves are limited as to movement towardthe interior of theshell, by means of a pair of screws 28, against which the sleeves areadapted to seat.

Radially-split washers 3i and 32 fit snugly within the respectivenipples, and are adapted to seat against the outer ends of thecorresponding slidable sleeves. Another pair of radially-split washers33 and 34, of the same internal diameter as the first said pair, but oflarger external diameter, are adapted to be contained within therespective gland nuts, and to seat against the inner faces thereof.

The terminal is provided with a connection plate 35, of suitableinsulating material. This is adapted to seat upon a marginal shelf-likesurface 36, within and back of the mouth of the shell. Ordinarily agasket 31 is interposed (Fig. 4). The connection plate is held in placeby means of screws 38, which engage tapped holes 39. Terminal studs 4|extend through the connection plate, and are supported thereby. Theyhave suitable Wire-attaching means at each end, and their outer endspreferably extend forwardly of the plate. If said plate is molded ofplastic material, the terminal'studs may besuitably shaped and embeddedtherein, as in Fig. 4.

A cover 42, hinged at the top as at 43, is adapted to enclose the outerface of the connection plate and the terminal studs. The cover may seatagainst the forward peripheral rim 44 of shell I1; and the plane of therim-seating surface be given a downward and forward slope, in order tohold the cover Ithereag'ainst by gravity. Spaced holes 45, through thebottom flange of rim 44 (Fig. 4), serve to position such branch wires asmay come into the terminal.

'When branch wire" connections are to be made to the cable conductors bythe aid of the terminal described, the first series of steps to betakenin-making the installation, comprises; determinin'g 'the exactposition to place the terminal with respect to the cable; and placingthe previously provided 'shell in that position (Fig. 6)

The second group of acts required in the installation procedure,includes; backing off gland nut's'25 and 28; placing tape markers 45 and4! upon strand l5, opposite the position 'on cable 15 where packings areto 'beapplied; and marking the cable sheath, as'at "48 and '49, where itis to be opened 'formaking the splices (Fig. 7).

The third set of installation jobs to be performed, consists of;sliding'shell I! to the left; cutting away-'the cable sheath between marks 48'and 49, to'exposeconductors inserting theinner ends of the requiredbranch wires 52 (which'previously have had their outer ends connected tothe inner extremities of the respective terminal studs 4 I) 'into'sh'elll1, and then threading said inner ends outwardly through nipple 24; andattaching'connection plate 35 tempoarily, as at itsends, by a couple ofthe screws 38 (Fig. 8).

The fourth lot of necessary procedural actions comprehends; splicing thebranch wires to the cable conductors, asat'53; building up a packing 55of "impervious adhesive tape on the cable sheath, opposite marker and ofsuch shape and dimensions as "to adapt it for use in the righthandterminal joint; and springing split washers 32 and 34 over the cablesheath,'in the respective positions indicatediFig. '9)

The fifth grouping of things to be done in making such'installations,includes; taping the mass of'splices as a"whole,-as at 56; removingconnection-plate 35 from its temporary position; removing the twoscrews'28 that normally retain slidable sleeve 21 in its-position;sliding shell H to the right, over and'beyond packing 55; building upanother andsimilar packing 54 on the cable sheath, opposite marker-46;and springing split washers 3| and 33 over the cable sheath, in therespective positions indicated (Fig. 10).

'The sixth and last succession of performances required to complete theinstallation process, consists of moving shell I! to its final position,w'here'each of the packings 54 and 55 is partly within the respectivenipples '23 and 24, and extends outwardly therefrom the same amount asthe other; moving sleeve 21 to its normal position within nipple 24, andreplacing the two retaining screws for holding it there; attachingconnection plate 35 in its final position, with gasket '31 beneath it,by means of screws 38; tightening up gland nuts 25 and 25 upon the outerends of their respective nipples; leading the required number ofincoming wires into the terminal through holes 45, and attaching them tothe outer extremities of respective terminal studs 4!; and putting onthe hinged cover 42, to protect the outer face of the connection plate(Figs. 2, 5 and 11).

It is to be noted that shell Il may be tapped and. plugged if desired,as at 51 and58 (Figs. 2, 3 and 4); to permit of pressure testing,introduction of gas, or filling the shell with insulating material.

It usually is desirable to locate supporting arms 18 and 19 withconsideration for the probable location of the resultant center ofgravity of the terminal with respect to its vertical axis, when it issuspended with its incoming wires attached. Otherwise it may tip at -anundesirable angle after installation.

It also is desirable to have a sloping portion 59 at the rear end ofridge 2| (Figs. 3 and 4), in order to deflect strandl6 gradually whenthe terminal is placed. This is especially true when the strand is heavyor stiff, or when its tension is great.

It will be obvious that the installation procedure may be reversed as tohand, since the right-hand and left-hand facilities provided areentirely similar. It will also be apparent that many equivalents existfor the several parts of the disclosed construction, and that such maybe found or be developed by skilled persons, in the light of thisdisclosure. Such departures within the scope of the appended claim, arecontemplated by me for use when they appear to be desirable.

I claim: 1

A distributing terminal comprising; a box-like shell having an openside; a branch-wire connection board constituting a closure for saidside; co-axial nipples screwed through opposed Walls of the shell; glandnuts at the outer extremities of the nipples; sleeves within the nippleswhich are slidable therein and Withdrawable toward said shell; removablestops at the inner ends of the sleeves, to retain them within thenipples; and split washers adapted to constitute packing seats, abuttingagainst the outer ends of said sleeves.

JAMES W. CHANNELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 101,905 Murphy Apr. 12, 1870402,007 Dewees Apr. 23, 1889 917,637 Miller Apr. 6, 1909 970,194Donaldson et al. Sept. 13, 1910 1,082,811 Kent Dec. 30, 1913 1,862,811Strong June 14, 1932 1,917,242 Emmons July 11, 1933 1,988,174 KnudsonJan-15, 1935 2,248,330 Bissell July 8, 1941 2,318,755 Channell May 11,1943

